Seville Cathedral has been displaying the two masterpieces of Saint Mary Magdalene, by Artemisia Gentileschi and El Greco, since July 22, in a temporary exhibition that allows visitors to admire both perspectives on the saint.
For the first time, Seville Cathedral has brought together two masterpieces depicting Saint Mary Magdalene: the canvas by Artemisia Gentileschi, owned by the cathedral itself, and that of El Greco, temporarily lent by the Parish of San Eutropio in Paradas. The exhibition coincides with the saint's feast day on July 22 and will remain open for the coming weeks.
Gentileschi's work, executed around 1622, depicts the saint reclining in an armchair, dressed in elegant Baroque attire, with a face marked by tears and introspection. Following a restoration at the Prado Museum that restored its original colours, the painting returned to the Cathedral after a temporary exhibition in Paris. It is now displayed in one of the chapels of the temple, accompanied by El Greco's canvas, a piece of intense mysticism that belongs to the parish of Paradas.
El Greco's painting, by Doménikos Theotokópoulos, is temporarily housed in Seville Cathedral to ensure its preservation while restoration work is completed at the Parish of San Eutropio in Paradas, a town in the province of Seville. The loan was agreed upon between the Archdiocese and the parish, with the aim of protecting the work during the renovations.
The joint exhibition allows visitors to compare two very different styles: the tenebrist Baroque of Gentileschi, with its drama and psychological detail, against the elongated spiritual mannerism of El Greco. Both works address the figure of Mary Magdalene as a symbol of repentance and faith, but from opposing artistic approaches.
Seville Cathedral has organised a special tour that includes both paintings, along with explanatory panels about their history and significance. The temple's officials hope this exhibition will attract both worshippers and tourists, as well as art lovers, during a summer when the city is experiencing a high influx of visitors.
For the residents of Paradas, the presence of El Greco's painting in the capital represents an opportunity to see the work in an exceptional museum context, although the local parish has already announced that the piece will return to its home once the renovations are completed, expected by the end of the year.
This initiative is part of the cultural programming of the Cathedral, which seeks to highlight its rich artistic heritage and establish dialogues between works from different eras. The exhibition of the two Magdalenas adds to other temporary exhibitions that the cathedral has hosted in recent years.
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